Nepal

Nepal Rastra Bank has declared cryptocurrency trading and mining illegal since 2017, with reinforcement in 2021. There are no legal frameworks supporting crypto activities in Nepal.

Overview

StatusBanned
Risk Score82/100 (Very High Risk)
Regionsouth asia
CurrencyNPR

Tax Information

Capital Gains (Personal)N/A - crypto banned
Capital Gains (Corporate)N/A
VAT on CryptoNo
Staking TaxN/A
Airdrop TaxN/A

No crypto-specific tax guidance available.

Licensing & Registration

RequiredNo
RegulatorNRB
FrameworkNRB declared crypto trading illegal (August 2017); expanded ban to all virtual currencies (January 2022); based on Foreign Exchange (Regulation) Act 1962 and NRB Act 2002
Easevery_complex

Enforcement Activity

Level: Moderate

No detailed enforcement information available

AML / KYC

KYC RequiredYes
Travel RuleNo
FATF MemberNo
FATF Statusgrey_list
FATF BodyAPG
Suspicious-Activity ReportingNo

DeFi, Stablecoins & NFTs

Status: Banned

Stablecoins

Status: Banned

NFTs

Status: Banned

Mining

LegalNo
Electricity Cost$0.06/kWh
Renewable Energy90%
Infrastructurefair

Crypto mining is banned by Nepal Rastra Bank since 2017, reinforced in 2021. Despite low electricity costs and high renewable energy share, mining is illegal.

Geopolitical Risk

Stabilitymoderate
SanctionsNo
Corruption Index34/100
Banking Accessrestricted

Risk Factors

Nepal has moderate political stability with no OFAC/EU/UN international sanctions. Corruption Perceptions Index ~34/100 (2024). Active FATF grey list with blacklisting warning from APG as of May 2026. Geopolitically exposed via India dependency ($10.5B remittances/year). No FX sanctions but capital controls limit crypto business access.

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

Is cryptocurrency legal in Nepal?

Nepal Rastra Bank has declared cryptocurrency trading and mining illegal since 2017, with reinforcement in 2021. There are no legal frameworks supporting crypto activities in Nepal.

What is the FATF status of Nepal?

Nepal is classified by FATF as: grey_list.

What is the AML/KYC regime in Nepal?

KYC is mandatory for crypto businesses.

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Last reviewed: 2026-06-01 · Data source: Soken Crypto Legal Map

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